Public to have its say on parking

THE public will have its say over the amount of parking allowed as part of new housing developments in the borough as a document setting out future policy goes out to public consultation at the end of this month.

THE public will have its say over the amount of parking allowed as part of new housing developments in the borough as a document setting out future policy goes out to public consultation at the end of this month.

Following a decision made by Woking Borough Council’s executive last week, residents will have the opportunity to comment on whether it believes one space is enough for a one-bedroom flat — or a two-bedroom flat in the town centre.

The consultation will begin on Friday January 27 for a period of six weeks and the council says, apart from its statutory duty to consult on the plan, there is scope for comments to be taken into consideration when the final document is prepared.

Government guidance on parking has changed and aims to limit the amount of parking in new developments. Woking Borough Council’s existing standards do not conform to this and need to be revised to assist council planners in making decisions on planning applications.

The new standards aim to provide a solution that is right for Woking and complies with government policy.

The proposed new standards reflect a government recommendation to reduce the amount of parking, especially in areas that have good public transport links, to try to reduce dependency on the car.

In Woking’s case, this means establishing a high accessibility zone — the area within 1,250 metres of the station — in which parking standards are more restrictive.

Cllr Graham Cundy, the borough council’s portfolio holder for planning policy, said: “In planning for the future development of the borough, we have had to set limits for the amount of parking that can be created with new houses.

“We have remained realistic when setting limits and hope we can work towards a sustainable future in which residents use all available forms of transport to get around.”

Later this month, the council will begin consulting with about 200 interested parties, including statutory bodies, residents’ associations and businesses.

Comments are also welcome from all borough residents who wish to express a view on the proposals.